The increasing energy demands of industrialized and developing nations combined with the increased concern for environmental effects of fossil fuel use have placed a greater emphasis and need on developing clean and efficient alternative energy sources. If properly harnessed, the title flows of oceans and rivers, as well as the force of the wind, can efficiently generate vast amounts of clean energy.
The prior art discloses numerous devices for harnessing the energy of flowing fluids. Many of these devices utilize one or more rotors having blades or impellers which are caused to rotate by the flowing fluid. While great attention has been paid to the configuration of the rotors and the blades which drive them, little attention has been paid to the manner in which the rotors are mounted. Generally speaking, they are mounted on an axle which is fixedly secured to the rotor, the opposite ends of the axle being rotatably journaled in various types of conventional bearings A major problem with conventional bearings is the hostile environment in which they are being used, which in many instances is under water. Ideally, the bearings in fluid driven motors should minimize resistance to the rotation of the rotors, but often this is impossible to accomplish due to the size of the rotors and the environment in which they are operated.